Vegan Île Flottante

I’m super excited to finally release this recipe! It tastes AH-mazing – imagine a delicate meringue drizzled with caramel floating on top of a rich and buttery vanilla custard. That’s the essence of ile flottante! The best part is that I made this classic dessert dairy-free and egg-free!

While the ingredients for the vegan meringue may seem basic, the ratio and process to achieve a texture and mouthfeel similar to real meringue were quite a challenge. It took me AGES to develop this recipe. I first tried making aquafaba meringue and cooking it in a water bath, just like what you are supposed to do in the original recipe. It was a total failure.

So, I went back to the drawing board, and after experimenting with many options, I realized that I could maybe set the aquafaba with agar. It worked! The last thing that I wanted to improve was the mouthfeel, as I thought the meringue lacked a bit of richness. To do so, I relied on coconut cream, which not only adds a bit of creaminess to the meringue but also helps set it a bit more. TADA! My vegan ile flottante was born!

⭐️ Why This Recipe Works

As delicious as the original.

If you have ever tried the non-vegan version of île flottante, you won’t believe how close this vegan version tastes to the original! Actually, my wife likes it even better than the ones she tried at the restaurant before!

The meringue is fluffy and airy, while the vanilla custard is incredibly fresh thanks to the use of fresh vanilla beans. Topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of crushed nuts, this dessert is refined enough to be served at a high-end restaurant!

Foolproof and tested multiple times.

Perfecting this recipe took a while, but the results are definitely worth it! My recipe is easy and requires basic ingredients you most probably already have on hand. It consists of 3 different preparations, but each one can be made one day ahead and assembled right before serving. Here is a breakdown of each component of this dessert:

📘 What Is Île Flottante

Île Flottante, also called “Oeufs à la neige” (Eggs in snow), is probably one of the most popular French desserts!

It consists of a rich vanilla-infused custard topped with whipped egg whites and drizzled with a salted caramel sauce. The whipped egg whites float on top of the vanilla cream, hence the name “Île Flottante,” which translates to a floating island. It’s a light, airy, and not overly sweet dessert.

🧈 Ingredient Notes

Aquafaba

If you are not familiar with aquafaba, it’s basically the brine that comes in a can of cooked chickpeas. It’s a magical ingredient that can be whipped just like egg whites! Actually, I have used aquafaba in the past to make my vegan strawberry mousse and my vegan ladyfingers.

In this recipe, I use aquafaba as the base for the meringue.

Sugar and maple syrup

Although this dessert is not overly sweet, it does need to be sweetened. I rely on maple syrup to sweeten the vanilla custard, as I like the subtle caramelized flavor it brings.

Then, for the meringue and salted caramel, I prefer using granulated white sugar for a couple of reasons. First, it prevents the meringue from getting a darker color (which would happen with maple syrup or coconut sugar, for example). Second, it’s very difficult to make caramel starting with darker types of sugar as it’s hard to tell when the caramel is done or when it is burned.

Agar

Agar is a key ingredient in this recipe, as it firms up the meringue. Without agar, the meringue would be too soft and too airy. Also, it would collapse after just a couple of hours.

Note: Use agar agar powder, not agar flakes.

Coconut cream

Coconut cream adds richness, giving the meringue a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Besides that, it helps firm it up a bit more.

Can I use coconut milk? Yes, you can replace the coconut cream with full-fat coconut milk. I have tried both versions and they tasted equally delicious! The coconut cream version will yield a slightly firmer meringue as opposed to the coconut milk one.

Note: If you can’t have coconut, you can simply replace it with your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk. The meringue will not be as rich, but it will still taste great.

Plant-based milk

To make the vanilla custard, you will need unsweetened plant-based milk. I personally like soy milk for its rich and creamy consistency, but oat, cashew, or almond milk will work too.

Cornstarch

I only use two tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken the vanilla custard, as the consistency should remain pourable.

Vanilla

Finally, I use vanilla seeds from half of a vanilla bean (although you can also use vanilla extract) to infuse the custard with a delicate floral aroma.

Turmeric

Traditionally, vanilla custard is made with a base of eggs, giving it a nice yellow color. To mimic that color, I like to add a pinch of ground turmeric. It doesn’t alter the flavor – it only adds a subtle yellow color to the custard.

🥣 How to Make It

1. Make the vanilla custard

1. Combine all of the ingredients. Add the unsweetened plant-based milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract (or seeds from a vanilla bean), cornstarch, vegan butter, and turmeric if using, to a saucepan. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch.
2. Thicken. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil and starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. The custard will just slightly thicken, which is normal. You still want it pourable and liquid.
3. Allow to cool. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap touching the top of the custard to prevent skin from forming on top. Let it cool at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

2. Make the caramel syrup

1. Melt the sugar. Add the sugar, salt, and one tablespoon of water to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Caramelize it. Continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes without stirring until it becomes golden brown. At first, the sugar will crystallize, and then it will start to melt again and turn golden brown. Keep an eye on it, as you don’t want the caramel to burn. It should be the color of dark amber maple syrup.
3. Deglaze. As soon as it turns golden brown, remove it from the heat and immediately add 2 tablespoons of water to the saucepan. Be careful and stand back a little bit, as it will steam and sputter.
4. Cook again. Next, place the saucepan back over the stove and cook for about 30 seconds or until the caramel has fully dissolved into the water. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely. The caramel will thicken slightly as it cools.

3. Prepare the meringue

1. Whip the aquafaba. Add the aquafaba to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip the aquafaba to soft peaks for about 3-5 minutes. Next, add the sugar and whip for another 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches stiff peaks. Note: depending on the speed of your stand mixer, this step might take up to 10 minutes.

2. Activate the agar. In the meantime, add the agar powder and water to a saucepan and whisk to dissolve it. Add the coconut cream and heat over medium heat, constantly whisking, until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and let it cool for 2 minutes.
3. Combine. Pour the warm coconut cream mixture into the whipped aquafaba and whip for another 10-15 seconds, or until just combined. The aquafaba will lose its fluffiness and become more liquid. That’s totally normal.

4. Transfer to bowls. Transfer the aquafaba mixture to 4 oiled small bowls or ramekins. Alternatively, you can pour the whole mixture into a large bowl. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until set.

Note: In the video, the agar coconut cream liquid is folded into the aquafaba using a spatula. I actually recommend whipping with the stand mixer for 10-15 seconds instead for a better and more even result.

4. Assemble

1. Pour the vanilla custard. Pour about 1/2 cup of vanilla custard into a serving bowl.
2. Add the meringue. Carefully remove the meringue from one of the bowls or scoop out about 1/2 cup of it (if you pour it into a large bowl). Place the meringue on top of the vanilla custard, it will float!
3. Drizzle with caramel. Finally, drizzle with the caramel syrup and garnish with either crushed roasted peanuts or slivered almonds!

🍫 Variations

If you want to customize this dessert, you can:

• Vary the toppings: Garnish your Île Flottante with crushed almonds, peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, or even chocolate chips!
• Swap the caramel sauce: Instead of drizzling with caramel sauce, use chocolate syrup, agave syrup, or maple syrup.
• Make it fruity: Replace the vanilla cream with your favorite fruit coulis. It goes particularly well with raspberry or strawberry coulis!

💬 FAQ

I hope you will love this French-inspired dessert! It’s unique and surprisingly close to the authentic version! The balance of the smooth vanilla custard with the airy aquafaba and the salty caramel is just magical!

🇫🇷 More French-Inspired Desserts

Vegan Creme Caramel (Flan)

Vegan King Cake (Galette des Rois)

Vegan Crème Brûlée

Apricot Tart

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!